1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to equipment for coiling or spooling elongate metal stock, and more particularly to spooling devices especially adapted for use with heavy gauge metal rod or strip stock.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR .sctn..sctn.1.97-1.99
In particular, the present invention is intended to receive stiff or heavy gauge (8 mm. to 30 mm.) metal rod or strip stock from a casting machine of the type illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,285 dated Nov. 8, 1983, issued to the General Electric Company, and entitled "Continuous Metal Casting Method, Apparatus and Product".
The above identified patent illustrates a method and apparatus for continuously forming stiff or heavy-gauge solid rod or strip stock from molten metal contained in a reservoir by a process known as "levitation" wherein molten metal is drawn vertically upward through a levitator tube constituted of refractory material, by means of a magnetic field produced by a series of electromagnetic coils wound around the tube, the tube being disposed vertically and having its lower end completely submerged in the molten metal. The application of 3-phase power to the coils results in a continuous, upwardly-directed vertical force being applied to the column, which begins to solidify as it travels upward in the tube, such that long, uninterrupted lengths of metal stock can be formed in a continuous, non-stop process.
It has been found that once the generation of metal stock as above indicated has commenced, interruption in the process is best avoided due to lost time resulting from start-up or shut-down operations. Accordingly, there has existed a need for satisfactorily handling the solidified stiff or heavy gauge stock, such as cutting it to the desired length, spooling and storing it, etc., all of which must be accomplished without disruption in the speed of the rod or strip stock that is emerging from the casting machine, or other interruptions in the casting process.